Hunt In Reverse

[Year 1: You consume the body tempering elixir and begin to cultivate the Enlightened Indestructible Body of Awakening.]

Inside the room, I put all the hundred vials of body tempering elixir into the silver bell.

Despite its small size, the bell has ample space to store personal belongings.

With a flip of the palm, I summoned one of the vials. Uncorking it, I brought the shimmering, blood-red elixir to my lips. The faint, fishy scent that wafted up hinted at its potency.

I savored the liquid, letting its power course through me, preparing my body for the transformation to come.

[Year 2: The body tempering technique you once practiced seems to be on the same path as this Body of Awakening. You get started very quickly, and with the help of endless precious medicines, the training efficiency is greatly improved.]

[Year 5: You gradually find something is wrong, the Enlightened Indestructible Body of Awakening seems to need the help of some specific spiritual plants, and the training efficiency is reduced.]

This didn't surprise me—it was exactly what the girl at Mission Control had warned me about.

According to the girl, with the Tree of Awakening and precious medicines, mastery takes 180 years. Without the tree, perhaps doubling that time would suffice?

This kind of dedicated practice, where effort yields predictable results, is far more reliable than chasing inspiration.

The only thing I'm eager to discover is if this can merge with my demonic talents to forge even more powerful demonic martial arts.

As time passed slowly.

I used up all my century's worth of elixirs. If I wanted more, I would have to earn more merits first—and that would easily arouse suspicion...

Never mind that I'd run out of merit points—even if I had more, it would be difficult to explain where a hundred years' worth of elixirs had gone.

I let out a soft sigh.

Still, the elixirs had yielded remarkable results—my body now surged with power, and my skin emanated a subtle, ethereal glow.

My strength, honed by the Leviasaurs' talents, already dominated the Wave Realm—and remarkably, this body tempering technique had brought noticeable improvements even to my formidable foundation!

Simply unimaginable! When the Tree of Awakening still flourished, even disciples at the entry level of Wave Realm could achieve a combat strength rivaling those at the peak. How utterly terrifying that must have been!

Even without a Crystal Realm expert in charge, such a group of durable and hard-hitting disciples would intimidate anyone.

[Year 624: Even without the aid of spiritual plants and precious medicines, you, relying on the vast expanse of time, still manage to cultivate the Enlightened Indestructible Body of Awakening to perfection…]

[Wave Realm - Enlightened Indestructible Body of Awakening (Perfect)]

[Remaining Absorbed Lifespan: 474 years]

A brilliant white light enveloped my body, then swiftly seeped into my skin.

I closed my eyes, savoring the transformation. I was surprised to find that the Enlightened Indestructible Body had increased my strength by roughly eighty percent on top of Leviasaur Power.

And that was a young Leviasaur, mind you, over sixty feet long! I could literally tear vampires apart with my bare hands now. And there was more...

I examined my arm. No need for a knife test this time—a gentle prod with my fingertip told me everything. If I were to return to Crown Mountain now, even Karim Shaheen's claws at their deadliest wouldn't pierce my shoulders so easily. And the Wave Realm Leviasaur? It wouldn't stand a chance.

Even a Crystal Realm expert would need to unleash their full strength to even scratch me now.

It wasn't perfect, but it was a vast improvement. After all, I wasn't a stationary target, standing still for others to pummel.

Perhaps I was being overly optimistic, but with the Vampire Devouring External Crystal and my newly fortified physique, I felt confident facing even those who had formed nascent spirit, despite not yet mastering any Crystal Realm techniques.

And once I acquired those techniques... I might even be a match for Karim Shaheen himself. A rematch was in order.

Acquiring Crystal martial arts was far simpler than obtaining a Crystallization method. After all, the vampires I'd slain might not have been experts in internal cultivation, but they knew a thing or two about killing.

Each was more brutal and cunning than the last. With enough vampire cores, I should be able to acquire a decent arsenal of techniques.

I reached for the final manual, the one detailing the Bloodsteed Gallop.

A quick perusal revealed its purpose: long-distance travel. Unlike the Ape Playing with Python, it didn't offer a significant boost in speed, but granted exceptional endurance. Not a technique for close combat.

I had just over four hundred years of absorbed lifespan remaining. I needed to conserve some to replenish my essence pool. After all, my battle against the half-cleaved Leviasaur had nearly depleted my reserves. I'd have to wait for a more opportune time to master this new movement technique.

I activated the silver bell and stored the martial arts manuals within. Just then, a shout echoed from beyond the courtyard walls.

… …

"Colonel Kane!"

After a brief greeting, Ethan Atzmon limped into the room from the darkness, his body wrapped in bandages.

He dragged a chair over and sat down, his face a mask of misery as he stared intently at me.

He studied me intently, as if trying to reconcile the figure before him with the police officer he'd brought back from Pinewood County. Finally, he slumped back in defeat. "Colonel Kane," he groaned, "you're hardcore."

He was just one merit away from being promoted to lieutenant colonel. He had recruited me hoping I would help him achieve this goal.

After the Temple Village incident, he had deliberately avoided claiming any credit, believing it rightfully belonged to me since I needed it to establish myself within H.A.R.M.

He had planned to repay me for saving his life once he recovered from his injuries. He had nearly quarreled with his sister after learning she hadn't managed to keep me from going to Crown Mountain.

But now...

Ethan Atzmon gritted his teeth, regretting his naive assumptions. This young man clearly didn't need their paltry offerings and probably didn't even give them a second thought.

"Shouldn't you be resting that injury?" I sat up with a stifled groan. After spending so long on Crown Mountain, I'd finally gotten a chance to rest—why was everyone suddenly so eager to visit?

I had no ill feelings toward the Atzmon siblings—we'd faced danger together, after all. Yet their noble background made me cautious, especially after seeing the bloodshed at Crown Mountain.

Still, as long as they didn't try to recruit me or pull any other strange stunts, they were decent enough. And I had to admit, that document had been a lifesaver for many of the captains.

"Hm?" Ethan looked towards the door in surprise. His sister, usually fearless, stood hesitantly in the courtyard.

What had gotten into her? This was the same woman who'd faced down an Admiral's disciple with drawn blade—yet here she hesitated before a mere personal attendant colonel who was practically an acquaintance.

"Colonel Kane just returned and needs his rest," she said, forcing a smile. "You two chat. I'll just be... over here."

She fidgeted with her sleeves, remembering the way he'd ridden past her, his gaze fixed straight ahead.

Noting her embarrassed expression, I guessed her thoughts. I rose and poured her a cup of water, a playful smirk on my lips. "You weren't nearly this shy that day," I teased. "In fact, you had quite the sharp tongue."

My method of judging people was simple: who wished me well, and who wished me dead? The Atzmon siblings, though not entirely altruistic, and certainly not my kind of people, clearly fell into the former category.

Purity was a rare commodity in this world. Simply having someone wish you well was a blessing in itself...

Noa flushed crimson, recalling our earlier encounter beneath the tree. "I... I meant no harm," she stammered.

Whatever her ulterior motives, she'd never intended to put me in harm's way. She'd assumed Max Vierkant had arranged everything, which had led to that awkward standoff.

"What's going on between you two?" Ethan asked, looking from one to the other. "Sister, didn't you have something to tell him?"

At this prompting, Noa stepped into the room. "There is something..." she began hesitantly. "After your departure for Crown Mountain, Dave Gray and I were gathering our belongings and the documents to leave Seattle. That's when I spotted two Kongo Shintai disciples. They were searching for your friend—the large gentleman."

I paused, my hand hovering over the teapot. "And then?"

"They didn't look friendly," she continued, "so I tried to step in. But your friend seemed rather… insistent—he refused to let me intervene. In the end, all I could do was make them promise to return him safely after their business was done."

Noa bit her lip. She knew what I feared most, but she forced herself to continue. "I haven't been with H.A.R.M. for long," she admitted. "And I'm... well, I'm rather lazy. I'm just a captain. I wasn't sure I could control them... so I used my family name."

"I also sent Stewart to follow them," she added. "He confirmed they left Seattle. We had transfer orders. There was no way to follow them further."

Noa finished her explanation, her gaze fixed on the floor. I handed her the teacup. "Thank you," I said sincerely. 'I appreciate your help, Noa."

With the Atzmon family involved, the chances of Butcher Garcia encountering trouble were practically nonexistent.

"I'm glad it wasn't a bother," Noa replied, her cheeks flushing slightly as she accepted the teacup.

"What's the big deal?" Ethan scoffed, struggling to sit upright. "Making a H.A.R.M. colonel wait for them? Who do they think they are?"

Ethan, wincing slightly, straightened himself up. "I'll send out a message," he declared, "and arrange a gathering with those dandies, including those from Kongo Shintai. You can question them directly. How about tomorrow?"

"You can't be serious. You plan to meet them looking like this?" Noa chided, glancing at her brother.

"What's there to worry about?" Ethan smirked. "These are honorable wounds, earned in the pursuit of vampires!"

Wait a few more days. Once Kane was gone, who would believe my claims of knowing the youngest personal attendant colonel in H.A.R.M?

The prestige... was worth a little discomfort.

"Don't use your name," Noa warned. "Have your... associates send the invitations. If the Kongo Shintai knows it's the Atzmon family, they might not show up."

Noa sighed. Her brother simply didn't fit in with those frivolous nobles. They obsessed over romance and gossip, while he only cared about missions and earning merits. And yet, he craved their approval, their recognition of his leadership.

The Atzmon family was one of the Four Families and Five Organizations, yet they sent their heirs to serve in H.A.R.M. generation after generation. They held a prominent position among martial artists, their reputation one of power and influence.

But behind their backs, many whispered that they were nothing more than traitors, the biggest sellouts to New Terra, abandoning their ancestral traditions.

Who would truly befriend Ethan Atzmon?

The Atzmon family, despite their vast wealth and connections, remained aloof. When Crown Mountain fell, they'd offered no assistance, content to remain uninvolved.

"Kane, will you attend this gathering?" Noa asked, turning to me. "Or shall we handle this for you?"

My expression didn't flicker. I nodded slowly. "I'll go."